Councillor Burden said: “The developer has spent so much money on trying to get this scheme to this stage they might decide, like M&S, that it isn’t worth investing in this town.

“They own the land and we can’t force them to develop it.

“I don’t know how long this delay will take and in the meantime the people of Gravesham will suffer.”

Over the next few weeks a judge will examine Urban Gravesham’s claim and decide whether it has merit.

The group claim planning officers promised councillors at April’s meeting that the regulatory board would take one last look at the decision to go ahead after the extra funding was agreed, but that did not happen.

A council spokesman said the authority is "entirely satisfied" it followed the correct procedures.

The three areas in Gravesend that are set to be revamped.

In the worst case scenario for the council the judge could rule it acted improperly and the scheme could be sent back for another planning committee vote – all of which could take another six months.

Comments

gravesendboy
11:39am Sat 14 Jun 14

I find Councillor Burden's response disingenuous to say the least.
M&S made their decision before the judicial review, it is his short sighted policies for the town that has seen this decision from M&S, which they made it after the planning application was granted.

Additionally I have seen Mr Burden refer to the new garden city of Ebbsfleet and the new Paramount park as a source of visitors to Gravesend. He really is living in cloud cuckoo land. Because of the council's policies over the years there is very little to distinguish Gravesend from any other struggling town centre, why would people come here when they can get so much more from nearby Bluewater.

The council's own reports for the application stated that it would not be financially viable and the council also stated that extending Bluewater (as is now happening) would be the death of for the Heritage Quarter scheme. Yet they still passed it.

Mr Burden needs to stop blaming others for this council's short comings and take some responsibility for the mess he now finds himself in.

I find Councillor Burden's response disingenuous to say the least.
M&S made their decision before the judicial review, it is his short sighted policies for the town that has seen this decision from M&S, which they made it after the planning application was granted.
Additionally I have seen Mr Burden refer to the new garden city of Ebbsfleet and the new Paramount park as a source of visitors to Gravesend. He really is living in cloud cuckoo land. Because of the council's policies over the years there is very little to distinguish Gravesend from any other struggling town centre, why would people come here when they can get so much more from nearby Bluewater.
The council's own reports for the application stated that it would not be financially viable and the council also stated that extending Bluewater (as is now happening) would be the death of for the Heritage Quarter scheme. Yet they still passed it.
Mr Burden needs to stop blaming others for this council's short comings and take some responsibility for the mess he now finds himself in.gravesendboy

I find Councillor Burden's response disingenuous to say the least.
M&S made their decision before the judicial review, it is his short sighted policies for the town that has seen this decision from M&S, which they made it after the planning application was granted.

Additionally I have seen Mr Burden refer to the new garden city of Ebbsfleet and the new Paramount park as a source of visitors to Gravesend. He really is living in cloud cuckoo land. Because of the council's policies over the years there is very little to distinguish Gravesend from any other struggling town centre, why would people come here when they can get so much more from nearby Bluewater.

The council's own reports for the application stated that it would not be financially viable and the council also stated that extending Bluewater (as is now happening) would be the death of for the Heritage Quarter scheme. Yet they still passed it.

Mr Burden needs to stop blaming others for this council's short comings and take some responsibility for the mess he now finds himself in.

Score: 6

motorbiker
9:33pm Sat 14 Jun 14

It's the second time recently that the leader of the council has admitted he does not know what is going on in Gravesend. But that not surprising because i dont believe he cares. First the local labour party would not select him in his quest to become a Kent County Counciilor so he trounced of to Dartford got selected there and then got soundly beaten. It couldn't be the £13000 minimum allowance he was after, of course it was.
Never one to miss a free lunch he goes to America on a jolly to check out theme parks. Perhaps if he had stayed at home he might not miss so much of what is happening in Gravesend.
Is the developer promising to start work this year on the Heritage Quarter the same one that has been saying the same to the people of Castleford since 2008? and last time I checked nothing had been started.

It's the second time recently that the leader of the council has admitted he does not know what is going on in Gravesend. But that not surprising because i dont believe he cares. First the local labour party would not select him in his quest to become a Kent County Counciilor so he trounced of to Dartford got selected there and then got soundly beaten. It couldn't be the £13000 minimum allowance he was after, of course it was.
Never one to miss a free lunch he goes to America on a jolly to check out theme parks. Perhaps if he had stayed at home he might not miss so much of what is happening in Gravesend.
Is the developer promising to start work this year on the Heritage Quarter the same one that has been saying the same to the people of Castleford since 2008? and last time I checked nothing had been started.motorbiker

It's the second time recently that the leader of the council has admitted he does not know what is going on in Gravesend. But that not surprising because i dont believe he cares. First the local labour party would not select him in his quest to become a Kent County Counciilor so he trounced of to Dartford got selected there and then got soundly beaten. It couldn't be the £13000 minimum allowance he was after, of course it was.
Never one to miss a free lunch he goes to America on a jolly to check out theme parks. Perhaps if he had stayed at home he might not miss so much of what is happening in Gravesend.
Is the developer promising to start work this year on the Heritage Quarter the same one that has been saying the same to the people of Castleford since 2008? and last time I checked nothing had been started.

Score: 5

Paxman
4:38pm Tue 17 Jun 14

Hats off to,Adam Holloway for standing up and telling it like it is.

Whereas...... Burden by name, burden by nature has for years now fought tooth-and-nail for this dreadful scheme - in the face of public opposition .

I cannot think why.

Hats off to,Adam Holloway for standing up and telling it like it is.
Whereas...... Burden by name, burden by nature has for years now fought tooth-and-nail for this dreadful scheme - in the face of public opposition .
I cannot think why.Paxman

Hats off to,Adam Holloway for standing up and telling it like it is.

Whereas...... Burden by name, burden by nature has for years now fought tooth-and-nail for this dreadful scheme - in the face of public opposition .

I cannot think why.

Score: 0

Anti-Litter
11:30am Wed 18 Jun 14

I thank Adam Holloway for making such a bold statement. He is absolutely correct. The whole development is beyond low quality and has no architectural merit that enhances the historical town of Gravesend. Can anybody imagine this rubbish being proposed and passed by Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The developer had the opportunity to revised the project to something of architectural merit and yet decided to simply disguise an alway bad proposal. The project is bulky, bland and a bad throw back to the 60's. I think the Anglesea Centre multi-storey could compete with the Edinburgh House development. Urban Gravesham gets my full support in this one and they deserve to win against a council that is arrogant and out of touch with the majority of the demographic of Gravesham.

I thank Adam Holloway for making such a bold statement. He is absolutely correct. The whole development is beyond low quality and has no architectural merit that enhances the historical town of Gravesend. Can anybody imagine this rubbish being proposed and passed by Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The developer had the opportunity to revised the project to something of architectural merit and yet decided to simply disguise an alway bad proposal. The project is bulky, bland and a bad throw back to the 60's. I think the Anglesea Centre multi-storey could compete with the Edinburgh House development. Urban Gravesham gets my full support in this one and they deserve to win against a council that is arrogant and out of touch with the majority of the demographic of Gravesham.Anti-Litter

I thank Adam Holloway for making such a bold statement. He is absolutely correct. The whole development is beyond low quality and has no architectural merit that enhances the historical town of Gravesend. Can anybody imagine this rubbish being proposed and passed by Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The developer had the opportunity to revised the project to something of architectural merit and yet decided to simply disguise an alway bad proposal. The project is bulky, bland and a bad throw back to the 60's. I think the Anglesea Centre multi-storey could compete with the Edinburgh House development. Urban Gravesham gets my full support in this one and they deserve to win against a council that is arrogant and out of touch with the majority of the demographic of Gravesham.

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